National Freight Group Submits Recommendations to DOT

The National Freight Advisory Committee (NFAC) met July 15-16 in the Nation’s Capital to discuss the freight provisions included in the transportation bills proposed by the Senate and Obama Administration. The Committee also presented to the U.S. Department of Transportation 81 recommendations for the development of a National Freight Strategic Plan. The NFAC is made up of 47 members from both public and private stakeholders, including past ARTBA Chairman Mike Walton of the University of Texas. Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) discussed her recently introduced National Freight Network Trust Fund Act of 2014 to establish a National Freight Network Trust Fund, which would collect 5 percent of the import duties collected by Customs and Border Patrol to fund improvements in the freight network. Hahn expressed her support for both the ideas of raising the gas tax and considering a vehicle miles traveled based option to fund the nation’s transportation infrastructure. ARTBA will continue to monitor these important discussions.